Chef's Challenge - Serge Dansereau

By June Cowle (Producer, Weekends)

One of Australia's top chefs Serge Dansereau takes this week's Chef's Challenge.Serge celebrates seasonality by steaming asparagus served with a parmesan and anchovy custard, miso barramundi with squid and asian style mushrooms and a simple yet spectacular dessert of lemon cake with lemon curd

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Born in Quebec, now an Australian citizen, Serge Dansereau grew up in Montreal. He began work as a kitchen hand before being accepted at the prestigious Institut de tourisme et d'hotellerie du quebec in 1974, completing his diploma in Cuisine Professionnelle in 1976.

In 1983, at the age of 26, Serge accepted a position to help open the newly built Regent, in Sydney. After one year he was appointed Executive Chef of the Regent's Kables restaurant.

In 1989, he received Chef of the Year and in 1990 Kables was awarded 3 toques, the SMH good food guides highest accolade.

In 1994, Dansereau was the recipient of the Sydney Morning Herald Special Award for Excellence, for his work in helping redefine Australian cuisine, his passion for produce and his promotion of regionalism.

In 1999 he left the Regent and joined The Bathers' Pavilion as partner and Chef.

Over the years Serge has won numerous awards including - Tourism Champion presented to Serge for his outstanding achievement in promoting the cuisine of Australia. He was also inducted into Tasting Australia Hall of Fame for services to the industry and the support he gives to all young chefs around the country.

He's also written a number of cooking books over the years including his latest "Seasonal Kitchen" available through ABC shops.

Providores List:

Meat with Anthony Puharich

The Meat world is undergoing a change at the moment as the Aust dollar falls and spring hits. The combination of these two will mean a rise in price for two reasons. Firstly exports will increase hitting supply and secondary summer bbq's mean a rise in demand for the "sweeter" cuts such as sirloin, scotch fillet and striploin. So watch your beef prices over the next couple of weeks.

Lamb also rises in price at this time of year as new season lamb hits the market and there's already a lesser supply than previous years.

Anthony also wanted to talk exotic meats - he's seen a rise in demand from some chefs for wallaby which is similar to kangaroo but has a fuller more game flavour.

He also tried ostrich the other day and was impressed. The other meat he's seen more people ask for is crocodile.

Fruit and Veg with Hugh Wennerbom

The first of the new season asparagus has started which Hugh loves, plus mulberries have started, and second grade strawberries are also plentiful - much cheaper and great for preserving and jams.

Also good for preserving - the abundance of globe artichokes and baby artichokes.

In fruit the first of the mangoes have arrived but they are still too pricey for Hugh, custard apples, blueberries and then all the citrus - lots of different types of navel oranges, Seville and bloods as well.

Seafood with John Susman

It's been a pretty tough week with high heat and high winds and not just in Sydney but most regions of Australia which means we're grateful once again for our NZ fisheries, although, they too are slowing down as their annual quota season winds up, but there are still lots of plate sized snapper and pink ling.

Look also for aquaculture - salmon, trout and barramundi. There's been a few inshore fish such as bream local snapper and silver whiting, wild prawns are scarce and expensive but there's lots of spanner and blue swimmer crabs around.

In oysters rock are changing seasons but there are still some good oysters from the NSW Sth coast, otherwise pacifics from Coles bay, duck bay, coffin bay, streaky bay.